Dogs Trust is a truly deserving charity, and we’ve already kicked off our fundraising efforts with activities such as a Euros sweepstake and a 99k step challenge. We have more planned throughout the year, including a food bank at Christmas.

As part of our partnership with Dogs Trust, we visited their local rehoming centre in Darlington for a corporate volunteering day. Due to a (shockingly… 🤭) high interest, we held a donation draw to select our lucky participants.

On the day, we were warmly welcomed by our wonderful volunteer coordinator, Kate, who guided us throughout our visit. We began with a session where we learned about the incredible work Dogs Trust has done since they were founded in 1891 – so much goes on behind the scenes!

Including, but not limited to:

• Rabies prevention
• Catch neuter vaccinate return programme (CNVR)
• Actively working to stop the illegal trafficking of puppies
• Support projects in five continents, in countries including Thailand, India and USA
• Successfully advocating for laws that now make microchipping mandatory for all dogs
• Emergency grants – providing vital financial support to individuals and organizations caring for dogs during disasters and emergencies.
• Canine care card – offering peace of mind by ensuring dogs are cared for if their owners become seriously ill or pass away.
• Hope project – working with homelessness charities to provide essential support for dogs owned by those in housing crises.
• Freedom project – offering foster care for dogs, enabling individuals suffering from domestic abuse to leave dangerous situations while ensuring their pets are safe.

Following our session, we were given a tour of the centre. We had the chance to see the dogs currently awaiting rehoming, and, another shock, we fell in love with them all! We then got shown the truly state-of-the-art facilities featuring a hydrotherapy pool, rehabilitation equipment like treadmills, and an onsite vet clinic – they really have covered everything a dog could need.

Our visit coincided with preparations for Dogs Trust’s 30th anniversary party at the Darlington Centre on 17th August. So of course, we jumped right in, helping to freshen up the stands and create activities for the kids – a task the creatives amongst us got stuck straight in with! Kate was an amazing host, she was with us all day answering our endless questions, including whether she gets to bring puppies home from time to time. (Spoiler: she does – perks of the job!)

After lunch, it was time for the next (our favourite) part of the day – spending time with the dogs! We got the chance to play with a litter of Jack Russell puppies (all of them have already found their forever homes, which was probably a good thing because we would have taken them all!) and walked a few dogs around the grounds. We also had the chance to play with a two-month-old deaf Border Collie in an outdoor run complete with a paddling pool as well as play with an adorable doggy duo named Leela and Stitch.

This day was not only a memorable experience for our team, but it also made us so much more aware of the incredible work Dogs Trust does and its mission. We’re really excited to continue our support throughout the year.

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